Pipe handling machine



Dec. 8, 1931. P. E. RYERSON PIPE HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed July 3, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 wra /srfef. 18 5230 Dec. 8, 1931. F RYE RSON PIPE HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed July :5, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 8, 1931. p, RYERSON 1,835,431

PIPE HANDLING MACHINE Original Filed Jul s, 1928 s Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 8, 1931 UNITED STATES PETER E. RYERSON, OF EL CENTRO, CALIFORNTA PIPE HANDLING MACHINE Application filed July 3, 1928, Serial No. 290,210. Renewed May 19, 1931.

My invention relates to and has for a purpose the provision of a machine for the mechanical handling of tubular and relatively heavy objects which are difficult of movement by hand, and my invention relates more particularly, although not necessarily, to a machine for hoisting and carrying cement or concrete pipe.

I will describe only one form of pipe-ban 0 dling machine embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view showing in side elevation one form of pipe-handling machine cmbodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view showing the machine in top plan;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective View of the hoisting means embodied in the machine shown in the preceding views;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 4 -4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a view showing the machine in front elevation and in its adaptation to the jacket of the tamping machine;

Fig. 7 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7 showing the machine in the act of hoisting a plurality of lengths of pipe; and i Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the several views.

Referring specifically to the drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, my invention in its present embodiment comprises a motor vehicle having a chassis C, of tapered form in plan, as shown in Fig. 2, with the side bars of the narrow end of the chassis extended upwardly and toward each other to provide converging extensions 15. As shown in Fig. 4, the extremities of these extensions are secured to the lower end of a sleeve 16, in which latter is rotatable an axle 17 provided at its lower end with a fork 18 in which is journaled a wheel 19. This wheel 19 is capable of being steered to control the path of movement of the vehicle as a whole, and to this end a ring 20 is secured to the fork 18, and the two ends .of a cable 21 are secured to the ring at the points indicated at 22 in Fig. 2. From the ring the two stretches of cable are extended forwardly and around pulleys 23, and then inwardly and about a drum 24 fixed to a steering post 25 with a steering wheel 26.

It will, of course, be understood thatthe two stretches of cable are trainedoppositely about the drum 24 so that when the post is rotated in one direction or the other, the cable will operate to rotate the ring 20, and, consequently, the fork 18 in one direction or the other. The steering wheel 26 is conveniently positioned with respect to a seat 27 adapted to be occupied by the operator of the machine, all as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

To provide a. yieldable mounting for the wheel 19,'in order that the transmission of shocks to the motor vehicle may be reduced to a minimum, the shaft 17 is vertically movable in the sleeve 16, and coiled contractile springs 28 are secured at their lower ends to the extensions 15 and at their upper ends to a head 29 on the upper end of the shaft, all for the purpose of yieldably restraining upward movement of the shaft. The upper portion of the sleeve 16 is reduced in diameter, as indicated at 30, to provide a shoulder 31 against which abuts the lower end of an expansible spring 32. The upper end of the spring abuts the head 29 of the shaft 17, and as a consequence of this arrangement it will be clear that the spring functions to yieldingly resist downward movement of the shaft The front end of the chassis C is provided with a pair of wheels 33 mounted on an axle 34 (Fig. 5) having a differential connection with a driving shaft 35. This shaft 35 is 0peratively connected to the crank shaft of an internal combustion engine 36 through a conventional type of transmission 37 preferably one of the Ford type; The necessary pedals and levers required to control driving of the axle 34 by the motor 36 may be provided in order that the vehicle may be driven forwardly or rearwardly at any desired speed.

This front-end drive, together with the rear-end steering mechanism, greatly facili tates the handling of the vehicle to the end of permitting it to be turned in a relatively small space, a property necessary totlie successful operation of the machine.

At the front end of the vehicle is mounted a hoisting mechanism particularly adapted, although not necessarily, for the hoisting of pipe. This mechanism comprises a stationary frame in which is mounted a movable frame, the movable frame carrying members adapted to be inserted into a length of pipe to engage and support the pipe so that hoisting thereof is effected when the frame is elovated. The stationary frame comprises a pair of flat bars 38 secured within and at the forward ends of the side bars of the chassis C so as to occupy horizontal positions and )roject from the forward end of the vehicle. ecured to the forward ends of the bars 38 are a pair of vertically disposed bars 39. These bars are of channel form and have their grooved sides in confronting relation as clearly shown in Fig. 4. They are connected at their upper ends by an angle bar 40, and brace bars 41 extend diagonally from the chassis C to the vertical bars 39. These bars 41 are secured at their lower ends to blocks 42 seated within the chassis bars.

The movable frame comprises a pair of vertical bars 43 slidalole vertically in the bars 39 and connected at their upper and lower ends by cross bars 44 and 45. The bars 43 are of channel form and their grooved sides are in confronting relation to permit the extension of the cross bars into the grooves where they are secured.

Beneath the cross bar 45, short channel bars 46 are secured to the bars 43 so as to be disposed transversely thereof and exteriorly of the bars 39. To these bars is secured a lifting bar 47, also of channel form and provided with circular openings 48in its forward flange, and square openings 49 in its rear flange. These openings are provided for the purpose of receiving rods 50 of circular form in cross-section to be extended through the openings 48, and having squared ends 51 to be extended into the squared openings 49, and secured therein by passing keys 52 therethrough. Adjacent their forward ends the rods 50 are formed with recesses 52 to provide seats for the trunnions of a pipe jacket, as will be described hereinafter.

The movable frame is capable of being elevated or lowered by means of a. cable 53, one end of which is secured to the cross bar 40 at the point indicated at 54, while the other end is trained about and secured to a windlass 55 (Fig. 2). From the Windlass, the cable is extended upwardly and over a pulley 56 mounted on the cross bar 40 andthen downwardly and under the pulley 5T mounted on the cross bar 45. From this point the cable is extended upwardly to its secured end 54. By this arrangement it will be clear that according as the Windlass is rotated in one direction or the other the cable will. be actu ated to elevate or lower the movable frame, thus imparting a corresponding movement to the pipe supporting rods 50.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 5, the Windlass 55 is fixed to a shaft 58 journaled in suitable bearings. This shaft is housed and provided with a worm wheel 59 meshing with a worm 60 fixed to a driven shaft S.

As shown in Fig. 5, the shaft S is made up of three sections designated at 61, 62, and 63, all. disposed within a housing 64. The shaft section 63 is provided with. a fly wheel 65, on the periphery of which is a sprocket wheel 66. The crank shaft of the motor 36 is extended at its rear end beyond the crank case, and is here provided with a sprocket wheel 67 operatively connected to the sprocket wheel 66 by an endless chain 68. The shaft section 62 has a splined connection 69 with the shaft 63 to maintain a driving connection between the two, yet permitting longitudinal movement of the shaft section 62 to actuate a clutch member 70. The shaft section 62 is manually operable by means of the lever 71 having a forked end engaging within the groove of a collar 72, the latter being keyed to the shaft section 62 so that by rocking the lever the shaft section is shifted in one direction or the other.

The shaft section 62 is adapted for operative connection with the shaft section 61 through the medium of a clutch and transmission mechanism contained within a housing 73. prises a gear 74 meshing with a pinion 75 fixed to a countershaft 76. The shaft 76 is also provided with a sprocket wheel 77 operatively connected to another sprocket wheel 78 by a chain 79.

The clutch comprises the member 70 keyed to the shaft section 62 and provided with annular wedge-shaped tongues 80 adapted to engage within annular grooves 81 of disk shaped members 82 and 83. The member 83 is provided with a hub 84 freely rotatable on the shaft section 62 and to which the gear 74 is keyed. The member 82 is' provided with a hub 85 keyed to the shaft section 61 and to the sprocket wheel 78.

In the operation of the clutch and trans mission mechanism the clutch member 70 normally occupies the'neutral position shown in Fig. 5 in which its tongues 80 are free of the walls of the grooves 81 of the mem bers 82 and 83. As a consequence, there is no transmission of motion from the shaft section 62 to the shaft section 61. When the member 70 is moved to the left to cause the corresponding tongue 80 to engage within The transmission mechanism comthe groove of the member 83, an operative connection is provided between the shaft section 62 and the gear 74.. Consequently, the gear operates the countershaft 76 and in turn the shaft section 61 through the intervening sprocket and, chain connection. Due to the difference in diameters of the gears 7 4; and 75, it will be clear that the shaft section 61, when driven through the transmission mechanism, is rotated at a greatly increased speed as compared with that of the shaft section 62 resulting in more rapid rotation of the Windlass 55.

When the clutch member is moved to the other extreme position to cause the corresponding tongueSO to engage within the groove of the member 82, a direct driving connection is had between the'shaft sections (52 and 61, resulting in a much lower driving of the Windlass 55 and in the opposite direction.

From the foregoing operation it will be manifest that the Windlass can be driven in either direction through movement of the clutch member 70 to one extreme position or the other, and when the clutch member in the neutral position, the Windlass is at a standstill. Further, by means of a transmission mechanism, the Windlass, when driven through such mechanism, is rotated in one direction and at a greatly increased speed as when driven directly through the clutch in the other direction.

In the adaptation of this mechanism to the hoisting mechanism, the Windlass is rotated to elevate the movable frame relatively slow, but to lower the frame relatively rapid. Of course, with the shaft section 62 disconnected from the shaft section 61, the movable frame of the hoisting mechanism is free to gravitate to its lowermost position. In this man" ner, sections of pipe may be lowered by the hoisting mechanism, and such movement controlled manually through the actuation of a brake. In the present instance, this brake comprises a drum 9O lined to the shaft 58, and a band 91 arranged about the drum and adapted to grip the latter through actuation of a lever 92 disposed adjacent the seat 2'? so to be within reach of the operator.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:

The propulsion and steering of the vehicle is such as to permit forward or rearward movement and turning of the vehicle within a relatively small area. In .he handling of pipe in a cement yard, sections of green as discharged from a tamping machine must be manually stripped and removed to a re mote point for drying, following which the pipe sections are stacked for subsequent loadonto cars or trucks to be distributed to the consumer. As the pipe sections extremely large and heavy, they are difficult to handle manually. and it is necessary to the successful operation of a tamping machine that the sections of green pipe be removed from the machine with dispatch in order to take care of the succeeding pipe sections.

In the operation of my machine, it can be driven to position the hoisting mecha nism adjacent the mold jacket of the tamping machine, and with two rods 50 mounted in the bar 4;? as illustrated in Fig. 6, the vehicle can be moved to cause the rods to be extended beneath the trunnions 93 a mold acket 94:, the trunnions reposing in the recesses 52 of the rods.

Now, by manipulating the clutch lever 71 to cause driving of the Windlass 55 in the proper direction, the cable 53 will be actuated to elevate the movable frame of the hoisting mechanism, thus lifting the mold jacket with the pipe section therein. Following such elevation, the vehicle can now be driven to a point spaced in respect to the tamping machine and the green pipe deposited on the ground by causing rotation of the winclass 55 to lower the movable frame of the hoisting mechanism until the jacket 9st is in contact with the ground. This operation is follower by opening the mold jacket, thus releasing the pipe section so that upon subsequent elevation of the jacket it will be remover from the pipe section. in Figs. 6 and 7 I have shown the machine in the act of removing the acket from the pipe, and .it will be noted that the pipe as deposited on the ground is in an upright position.

The green pipe is exposed to the sun to permit thorough drying thereof when it is stacked in respect to other dried pipe preparatory to placing the pipe onto cars or trucks. My machine is also capable of hoisting and carrying the pipe sections and placing them in stacked relation. This is accomplished by first manually moving the pipe sections to a horizontal position on the ground in order 'to permit the rods 50 to engage within the pipe. By lowering of the movable frame,

the rods 50 may now be positioned so that upon advance of the vehicle toward the pipe the rods will be inserted into the pipe, as illustrated in Fig. 8. If new the hoisting mechanism is elevated, the rods will engage and lift the pipe sections so that they may be carried by the vehicle and lowered into -stacked relation upon the ground.

In Fig. 8 I have shown the hoisting mechanism provided with a plurality of rods 50 arranged in pairs, with each pair supportii'ig a section of pipe. Thus, it will be manifest that the machine capable of hoisting and carrying a plurality of pipe sections. Further, it will. be manifest that the pipe sections can be elevated to any desired level within the limits of the hoisting mechanism in order to permit stacking of the sections one upon the other. After the pipe sections have been elevated to the desired level it will be clear that by slightly lowering the rods they can be readily withdrawn from the pipe by backing the vehicle, thus leaving the pipe in stacked relation.

By providing a plurality of openings l8 and 49 for the rods 50, it is possible to vary the spaced relation of the rods to engage within pipes of different diameters thus rendering the machine adaptable to any size pipe. 7

My machine is also capable of individuallv or collecti ely moving one or more sections or pipe from a stack and carrying the pipe to a car or truck for shipment. It will be understood that the vehicle and hoisting mechanism can be operated to cause the rods 50 to be inserted into the pipe at any level and the pipe thus engaged by the rods and supported on the vehicle so that upon movement of the vehicle from the stacked pipe to the car or truck, the pipe can be carried and finally discharged onto the car or truck by lowering of the hoisting mechanism until the pipe sections repose upon the car.

From the foregoing operation, it will be manifest that I have provided a machine capable of mechanically handling pipe from the time it is discharged from the tamping machine until it is finally delivered to the car or truck for shipment, and that the only manual operation necessary in such handling is the tilting of the pipe from a vertical to a horizontal positon on the ground in order that the rods 50 may be inserted into the pipe for subsequent lifting and carrying.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of pipe-handling machine embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made herein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A pipe hoisting mechanism comprising astatioi'iary frame, a movable frame movable vertically on the stationary frame, an element secured to the movable frame and having 'ircular openings and registering angular openings, and pipe-engaging members having rounded portions received in the circular openings and angular portions received in the angular openings.

2. A pipe hoisting mechanism comprising a stationary frame, a movable frame movable vertically on the stationary frame, an element secured to the movable frame and having circular openings and registering angular openings, pipe-engaging members having rounded portions received in the circular openings and angular portions received in the angular openings, and keys extended through the members for securing the latter within the openings.

3. A pipe hoisting mechanism comprising a stationary frame, a movable frame movable vertically on the stationary frame, an element secured to the movable frame and having two sets of openings vertically disposed and horizontally spaced, and pipe engaging members removably fitted in the two sets of openings so as to be horizontally supported by said element.

4. A pipe hoisting mechanism as embodied in claim 3 wherein said element comprises a channel iron the vertical portions of which are formed with the openings.

5. A pipe hoisting mechanism comprising a stationary frame including vertically disposed and parallel spaced channel bars, a movable frame movable vertically on the stationary frame and including vertically disposed and parallel spaced channel bars slidable in the channel bars of the stationary frame, cross bars connecting the channel bars of the movable frame, and a channel bar secured to one of the cross bars and having its flanges provided with openings, and members removably fitted within the openings.

Signed at El Centro, in the county Imperial and State of California, this 2nd day of June, 1928, A. D.

PETER E. RYERSON. 

